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Alexander Cockburn's India Journal: Travels with Sainath Fakers and fakirs of the Indian neoliberal disaster, from the Indian elites to Bill Gates to Bill Clinton to the New York Times; heroes and villains of the Indian press; 5,000 suicides in Andhra Pradesh and the rise and fall of Chandrababu Naidu, World Bank posterboy; what the British did to India, from Warren Hastings to the Falkland Road; what Indians did to architecture, from the Taj Mahal to the dawn of concrete; making weight in upland Kerala; why America needs south Indian cooking; homage to the great peasant rebellion of 1857; can India recover from "reform"? Get the answers you're looking for in the latest subscriber-only edition of CounterPunch... CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! or write CounterPunch, PO BOX 228, Petrolia, CA 95558 |
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Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison by KATHY KELLY  Today's Stories June 10 / 12, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn
Len
Colodny Christopher
Brauchli Ron
Jacobs Dave
Lindorff Katrina
Yeaw / Alex Schmaus Alan
Farago Saul
Landau
June 8, 2005 Jim
Hougan Alan
Maass Jason
Leopold Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Dave
Zirin Derrick
O'Keefe Diana
Johnstone Website
of the Day
June 7, 2005 Forrest
Hylton Greg
Moses / Susan van Haitsma Lenni
Brenner Col.
Dan Smith Joshua
Frank Dave
Lindorff Margot
Veranes / Adrian Navarro Michael
Neumann
June 6, 2005 Stew
Albert Paul
Craig Roberts Nicole
Colson Ali
Khan Jason
Leopold Charles
Walker Poff Ramzy
Baroud Rep.
John Conyers Evelyn
Pringle Gary
Corseri Website
of the Day
June 4 / 5, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn James
Petras Robert
Fisk Patrick
Cockburn Rev.
William Alberts Saul
Landau Mario
Lamo Jimenez Dave
Lindorff Lance
Selfa Tom
Crumpacker Joshua
Frank Fred
Gardner Michael
Dickinson Roger
Martin Reza
Fiyouzat Ben
Tripp Graeme
Greenback Poets'
Basement
June 3, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Joseph
Massad Jeff
Halper Tom
Barry Bruce
K. Gagnon Joshua
Frank Mickey
Z. Gary
Leupp Website
of the Day
June 2, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Forrest
Hylton Mike
Whitney Brian
Cloughley Mazin
Qumsiyeh Russell
D. Hoffman Norman
Madarasz Norman
Solomon David
Price Website
of the Day
June 1, 2005 James
Petras Justin
Delacour Edward
Jay Epstein Omar
Barghouti / Lisa Taraki Dave
Lindorff Kevin
Zeese Jason
Leopold William
S. Lind
May 31, 2005 Sen.
Mike Gravel David
Krieger Tad
Daley Joshua
Frank Richard
Gott Norman
Solomon Tom
Segev Walter
Brasch Diana
Johnstone
May 28 / 30, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Richard
Lichtman Sharon
Smith Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ramzy
Baroud Brian
Cloughley Fred
Gardner Lee
Sustar Joshua
Frank Justin
E.H. Smith Jackie
Corr Michael
Kimaid Toufic
Haddad Justin
Taylor Amir
Butler Ben
Tripp Poets'
Basement
May 27, 2005 Gary
Leupp Daniel
Estulin Kevin
Zeese Robert
Fisk Dave
Zirin Website
of the Day
May 26, 2005 Yuki
Tanaka Ray
McGovern Arthur
Mitzman Jack
Random Britt
Bailey and Brian Tokar Rebecca
Rush Jorge
Mariscal Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
May 25, 2005 Camilo
Mejia Dave
Lindorff William
S. Lind Chris
Floyd Brian
Cloughley Lenni
Brenner Sean
Cain Karl
Shepard John
Ross Website
of the Day
Dave
Zirin Michele
Bollinger Winslow
Wheeler Uri
Avnery Michael
Donnelly Joshua
Frank Stephen
Dunifer Paul
Craig Roberts
May 23, 2005 Esther
Sassaman / Thomas Nagy Mike
Whitney Ramzy
Baroud Michael
Dickinson Walter
Brasch Dick
J. Reavis Maria
Tomchick Norman
Solomon Kevin
Zeese Website
of the Day
May 21 / 22, 2005 David
H. Price Gabriel
García Márquez Oren
Ben-Dor Gary
Leupp Laith
al-Saud Elaine
Cassel Greg
Moses Fred
Gardner Dave
Lindorff Alan
Maass William
Blum Tom
Crumpacker Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Doug
Giebel Evelyn
J. Pringle Carolyn
Baker Chris
Floyd Frederick
B. Hudson Ben
Tripp Poets'
Basement
May 20, 2005 Dave
Lindorff Kevin
Zeese Paul
de Rooij Christopher
Brauchli Mark
Engler Joshua
Frank Robert
Jensen Jeffery
R. Webber
May 19, 2005 Bill
Forman Stan
Goff Neve
Gordon Michael
Dickinson Karyn
Strickler Andrew
Freedman Paul
Craig Roberts
May 18, 2005 Jean
Bricmont Laura
Carlsen Mike
Whitney Joshua
Frank George
Galloway Manuel
Garcia, Jr. Dwight
D. Eisenhower Dave
Lindorff
May 17, 2005 Mickey
Z. Petuuche
Gilbert Paul
Craig Roberts Ramzy
Baroud Robert
Jensen / Pat Youngblood Stan
Cox Dave
Zirin Diana
Barahona Website
of the Day
May 16, 2005 Michael
Gillespie Jason
Leopold Jesse
Muldoon Norman
Solomon Robert
Cray Patrick
Cockburn Website
of the Day
May 14 / 15, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Saul
Landau Gary
Leupp JoAnn
Wypijewski Ben
Tripp Brian
J. Foley Tom
Barry Mitchell
Verter Mike
Ferner Dan
Smith Mark
Scaramella Don
Fitz Diane
Farsetta Michael
Dickinson Ron
Jacobs Fred
Gardner Farrah
Hassen Douglas
Valentine Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
May 13, 2005 Tom
Stephens Patrick
Cockburn Mike
Whitney Chris
Floyd Jenna
Orkin Dave
Lindorff Joshua
Frank Website
of the Day
May 12, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Uri
Avnery Greg
Moses Carolyn
Baker Pat
Williams William
S. Lind Jack
Random Gary
Leupp
May 11, 2005 Patrick
Cockburn Kevin
Zeese Christopher
Brauchli Zalman
Amit Robert
Shull Mike
Whitney Dr.
Teresa Whitehurst Norman
Solomon
May 10, 2005 Richard
Drayton Dave
Zirin Jackie
Corr Dave
Lindorff Michael
Donnelly Reza
Fiyouzat Scott
Parkin Stephen
Babcock Alan
Farago Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day
May 9, 2005 Louis
Proyect Robert
Fisk Kevin
Zeese Joshua
Frank Sasha
Kramer Andrew
Wimmer Jeffrey
Webber Jeffrey
St. Clair
May 7 / 8, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Gary
Leupp Saul
Landau Joe
DeRaymond Daniela
Ponce Heather
Williams Gregory
Elich Anis
Memon John
Chuckman Mike
Whitney Ron
Jacobs Colin
Kalmbacher Lance
Selfa Fred
Gardner Ben
Tripp Mickey
Z. Richard
Joseph Dr.
Susan Block Poets'
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May 6, 2005 Patrick
Cockburn Erin
Yoshioka Sam
Husseini Dave
Lindorff Kevin
Zeese Joshua
Frank Dan
Bacher P.
Sainath
May 5, 2005 Carles
Mutaner Carl
G. Estabrook Farrah
Hassen Kevin
Zeese Michael
Leonardi Bennett
Ramberg Ray
McGovern Norman
Solomon Nicole
Colson Brian
Concannon, Jr.
May 4, 2005 Colin
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Walsh Greg
Moses Ali
Khan Chris
Floyd Linda
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Zirin William
S. Lind Gary
Leupp Website
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Lindorff Brian
Cloughley Ira
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Sanchez Peter
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Jacobs Stan
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Zeese Vicente
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April 30 / May 1, 2005 Alexander
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Weekend Edition We Regret Any Inconvenience Caused by Your Humiliation"Support Our Torturers!"By BRIAN CLOUGHLEY
That's the way it goes, folks. Explode into someone's house at 4 in the morning, trash the place, steal valuables, rough up the elderly owner and terrify his wife, haul him and his sons away, and after the whole thing is realized to have been a total military balls-up announce that "It was determined that [the victim] was detained by mistake and should be released. Coalition forces regret any inconvenience and acknowledge Mr Hamid's co-operation in resolving this matter." Then forget all about it. If anyone is wondering why US occupation troops (ignore the misleading garbage about "coalition forces") are increasingly detested and regarded with fear and contempt by more and more Iraqis as the days go by, there is no need to look further than their act of swaggering incompetence on May 30, because it is typical of what they have been doing in Iraq since the invasion. The only reason we know about this particular case of arrogance and stupidity on the part of a bunch of clumsy thugs is because the man concerned, Dr Mohsen Abdul Hamid, is a major political figure. The citizens of the United States didn't hear much about the shambles, and they know nothing whatever about all the other outrages because they do not involve high profile people. All the other smash crash and bash operations of cloddish violence against the civil population are reported only in non-US media. The illegal abduction and gross humiliation of Dr Abdul Hamid are much more important than the bungling ineptitude of the US military commander in Iraq. (For it is he who is to blame. It was his cretinous subordinates who ordered the raid, and his delinquent barbarians who assaulted the house of an innocent family in dead of night. The buck stops -- or should stop -- right on the shoulders of the senior star-wearer.) The case is specially important because the President and Prime Minister of Iraq protested to the United States of America about the US military's bizarre treatment of one of their country's most prominent politicians. The violation of his privacy and dignity and the statement by Iraq's President that " . . . no one gave prior notice to the Presidential Council about the arrest of Dr. Mohsen Abdul-Hamid. This way of dealing with such a distinguished political figure is unacceptable" are not to be brushed aside. Their expressions of deep concern were made on behalf of their citizens and have a direct bearing on bilateral relations and policy. But Bush Washington ignored the protests. Failure to respond promptly, publicly and courteously to a head of state in such circumstances is one more example of calculated international vulgarity on the part of the Bush administration. It shows the weak countries of the world that Bush regards them with contempt. Bush would respond quickly enough to China's head man (who personally despises him, with good reason), and if he didn't reply to Russia's Putin, his intellectual superior by some scores of IQ points, he would be put in his place very quickly. But little countries don't matter. And little countries, to the Bush zealots, are those whose heads of state they can insult, bully and denigrate without fear of retaliation. Last month, President Karzai of Afghanistan dared to raise the matter of the torture and murder of some of his citizens in the most bestial fashion by American soldiers. There was then immediate release in Washington (let's forget the word 'leak' ; this handout was a matter of Bush administration policy) of a cable from the US embassy in Kabul declaring that President Karzai is entirely responsible for the failure to counter the crisis of massive opium/heroin production in his country. This grotesque announcement was intended to deflect attention in America (the rest of the world doesn't matter) from President Karzai's expression of concern about the savagery of US soldiers in the prison camps they run. The ploy succeeded, of course. As intended by the Bush propaganda apparatchiks, most news outlets swamped the first story by the second -- if indeed they had even mentioned Karzai's protest, which many of them had not. Deliberate release of the let's-trash-Karzai cable was not only contemptible but ludicrous. The person in the Kabul embassy who composed it (if it is genuine) is either insane, or a sniveling understrapper of the Washington system, or absurdly and unbelievably ignorant of conditions in Afghanistan. Of course President Karzai can't do anything to counter drug production or smuggling, because the 18,000 US troops in his country are forbidden to act against the drug barons and their private armies. The speedy publication of the State Department's classified cable immediately after President Karzai commented on criminal actions against his citizens was intended to humiliate him and make it clear that if he ever dares criticize US soldiers who torture and murder his people, and thus their commander-in-chief, he does so at his peril. The smear and jeer operation against President Karzai succeeded in spades. It wasn't a shot across his bows: it was a broadside into his vitals. The poor fellow was shown publicly to be a nonentity whose words mean nothing, and his credibility in his own country was shattered. This malevolent and spiteful action by Bush Washington destroyed such authority as he had, and has set back the Afghan stability program by another decade or so. Well done, the deranged ninnies who at all costs defend The Great Leader against the slightest word of disapproval. What a bunch of squalid little jerks. The warlords who control most of Afghanistan, almost all of whom are up to their necks in the drug trade, now know for certain that the President of Afghanistan is a mere figurehead. His request to Washington for some face-saving measure of control over US forces was rejected out of hand. The literate inhabitants of his country, all 30 per cent of them, now realize that the man they voted to be president is only a dancer to the tune of the occupying power. The illiterate majority, influenced by dangerous rabble-rousers, already firmly believed that Karzai is a mere tool of the invader, which is exactly how Afghan puppet politicians were regarded during the Soviet military occupation in the 1980s. In similar vein, the President and Prime Minister of Iraq are supposed to be the leaders of a free country, because Bush keeps telling us that he has liberated Iraq and that it is now a democracy. But what "liberator" with any sensitivity would call the main military base in an occupied country "Camp Victory"? Iraqis are a proud people, a fact which is regarded as quaint (where have we heard that word before?) by the Bush zealots and their smash-the-door-down occupation troops whose ferociously arrogant behavior began to alienate Iraqis immediately after the occupation began. If they had behaved as liberators rather than conquerors there wouldn't have been an uncontrollable uprising. It's too late now to reverse the hatred they have generated, but it would help to at least try to appear civilized by dropping such arrogant and triumphal (and, now, ironic) nomenclature as "Camp Victory". And while we are covering naive, pathetic and immature behavior, the US commander of Iraq should give an order forbidding his troops to use the word "hajis" to describe its citizens. Perhaps he doesn't know it is used. If so, he is failing in his duty. But if he does know that it is usual for his soldiers to scream "get the fuck out of the way you fucking hajis" at bewildered civilians, and does not forbid such atrociously insulting behavior, then he is a moron. So it is not surprising, given the policy and atmosphere of Bush-induced exultant supremacy, that the leaders of the supposedly free nation of Iraq were not consulted about the pre-dawn arrest of the head of one of the most important political parties in their country, and that when they complained about it they were ignored. This is the Bush version of the spread of freedom, and the world has become accustomed to the use of uncouth boorishness in the US confrontation policy that has replaced diplomacy. The few US reporters in Iraq know perfectly well that the humiliation of Dr Mohsen Abdul-Hamid was the most sensitive and important story in recent weeks, if only because it has had enormous influence on the Sunni community whose support is so critical in this terrible period of mayhem and murder. But no US paper or network gave it the cover it should have, simply because that would mean criticizing the US military and its goofy "we are the conquerors" policy for the occupation, which has been so utterly disastrous. Media outlets that do not "Support Our Troops" to the hilt, by doing their utmost to conceal torture, murder, pre-dawn raids on innocent people, and destruction of towns on a scale reminiscent of the Nazis' obliteration of Guernica, are doomed to suffer the Bush/Nixon revenge for "disloyalty", which is malicious, poisonous and vindictive. Some of them try to tell some of the truth, but most just copy the US military mantra about its ruthless excesses that have alienated so many Iraqis and Afghans and horrified so much of the world. It's a phrase we all know well. A comfortable and contemptuous non-apology for planes being late and innocent citizens being brutally persecuted: "We regret any inconvenience." . . . . Brian Cloughley writes on military and political affairs.
He can be reached through his website www.briancloughley.com
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